Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-11-26

steam in q gradual manner, and the engine
glided away at q moderate rate of speed.
But this was not to last; neither was
any f1agman to be sent ahead; there had
been delays enough. The time had come
when it was wise to take q terrible risk.
We dared not wait for the passenger train
because of the pnrsuers we had heard, and
OF the freight which had started toward
the break; and we must reach the station
above before the passenger started out!
From Adairsville to Calhoun, the next
station that had q side. track, is a little
more than nine miles. The road runs d.
rcctly north, is almost straight, and but
little removed from level; this is the most
favorable stretch for running Gu the whole
line. Andrews said to his comrades: Make
her show how fast she can GO; every Sec
ond saved in getting to Calhoun counts"
Tho effect of giving such orders to men
whose nerves had all morning been thrill
ing with suppressed fire may be imagined!
The engine was in the finest running con-
dition. Knight had oiled it carefully dur
ing the long waiting at Kingston: and
again, in part, at .Adairsville, and q heavy
pressure of steam had accumulated during
the pause at the latter station. Now the
full force of the mighty power was turned
on at once, while oil was poured on sticks
and these fed into the furnace. Thu three
cars and twenty men were no load for the
powerful engine, and it sprung to its work
with a shock that nearly took every mar
from his feet! The race against time which
followed was grand m terrible. The en-
CINE seemed to he not so much running as
ycoursing with great lionlike bounds along
the track, and the spectacle from the loco
motive rs it rose and fell in its ceaseless
rapid motion, while houses, fields and woods
rushed by, was wonderful and glorious,
almost worth the risk to enjoy! In the box
car we were thrown from side to side and
jerked about in a that battles
description. The car was SO close to the
engine that it felt every impulse of power
an there was no following train to steady
1t. Many times we were startled with the
lnomentary conviction that we were off
the track: but there was no cessation Of
rour rapid flight. We hardly knew what
it meant, and though VIC pushed our door
partly open, the risk Of being thrown out
was too great to permit us to open it wide;
and gazing at the panorama that fitted
by, with lightning like rapidity, we could
gain no clcw to this frantic and perilous
chase, for there was no indication Of a fol.
lowing train that we could perceive.
There was no danger of being seen in the
opening Of our door, for the rapid flight of
the train would have attracted all the at
tcntion that anything upon the car could.
Andrews scarcely looked ahead while
making this run Brown and Knight,
however, did keep Il sharp lookout, sim.
ply for the purpose OF seeing when we
came near the station that they might
shut off steam and be able to stop there.
They had no hope of reversing Or stop
ping, if they saw the belated passenger
train approaching. AS we'll try to reverse
a cannon ball in its flight! If the train had
started out from Calhoun before we came
in sight, it was simply and inevitably
death for every n Of us; and the people
of the other train would not nave Jared
much better.
Our fireman, j. A. Wilson, very graph.
fcally describes this fearful effort to con-
qucr time:
''Our locomotive was under a full lead
of steam The engineer stood with his
hand on She lever, with the valve wide
open. 1t was frightful to see how the
powerful iron monster under lis would
leap forward under the revolutions of her
great wheels. Brown would scream to
me ever and anon, Give her more wood,
Alf,' which command was promptly
.obeyed. She rocked and reeled like q
drunken man, while we tumbled from
side to side like grains Of popcorn in a hot
frying pan. 1t was bewildcring to look at
the ground or objects on the roadside. A
constant stream of fire ran from the great
wheels. and to this day I shudder as I re.
fleet on that, my first and last locomotive
ride. We sped past houses, stations and
fields and out of sight. almost like q
meteor, while the ~bygtanders, who scarce
ly caught a glimpse Of us as we passed,
looked on as if in both fear and amaze
ment. 1t has always been a wonder to me
that our locomotive and cars kept the
track at all. or how they could possibly
stay Oh the track. At times the iror
horse seemed literally to fly over the
course. the driving wheels of M side
being lifted from the rails much Of the
distance over which we now sped with q
velocity fearful to contemplate. We took
little thought of the matter them
Andrews kept his watch in his hand
seeming 10 notice nothing else, for time
was the only element in this part Of GU,
problem. and he and Knight, who looked
OH the same watch, always Joined
in declaring that the interval o.
nine miles between the W. station;
was run in seven and q half minutes
Auu llAlS uCG upOi u L1dSA1ASCut AOU-
with steel rails, as that road is today
but over a poor and neglected track! l,
must. in candor, however, be allowed thai
Andrews probably reckoned the interva
from losing sight of Adairsville unit
coming IN sight of Calhoun. When neal
the two stations he would be otherwis,
engaged: and thus the rate may have beer
little over a mile a minute-surely enough
for ill The fear, wonder and sublimity O
motion!
Our escape on this run was e~xceedingl,
narrow. The passenger train had begun
tc move out before we arrived, but it hat
only just got under way while we wer
slackening up for the station. A minut.
earlier in their starting would have endet
the raid. But seeing us coming, and on!
whistle sounding out loud and peremp
tory, they backed before us up the track
and the proper officer obligingly openet
the switch to let US on the side track. o
course this was done as much in the in
terest of the passenger train. which coult
not go On till we were out Of the way, a
in ours.
But they did not go on for some tim
and we were obliged to await their move
ments. In backing they had gone ia
enough, not only to give US room on tn
side track, but also, as their train was
long one, to completely block the far en-,
of 1t, and we could not proceed on tn
main track until they should pull ahead
Rafore dining this thew naf11ralJv u,.nt>.